Neurocysticercosis: An emerging waterborne parasitic disease of public health importance

Abstract

Neurocysticercosis is a major health problem for a large proportion of the developing world where it has been found to be the most common cause of acquired epilepsy. This central nervous system parasite is also quite common in many parts of India because of lack of hygiene, clean drinking water and the lack of knowledge regarding modes of acquiring this infection. Diagnosis of this condition can be accomplished with a fair deal of accuracy only when various laboratory-based immunodiagnostic test results are used in conjunction with clinical features. Imaging methods like CT and MRI also play pivotal roles in the diagnosis of this condition. Both antibody detection as well as antigen detection tests have been found to be vital in the diagnosis of this condition, and each of them has their own advantages as well as short comings. Recombinant DNA technology has made it possible to develop many different recombinant antigens which have potential for designing various immunodiagnostic tests in the diagnosis of neurocysticercosis.